Fountain-brush



(No Model.)

J. STEVENS.

FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

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J. STEVENS. FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STEVENS, OF NEENAH, VISCONSIN.

FOUNTAIN-BRUSH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,946, dated February 19, 1889.

Application led July 5, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN STEvENs, of Neenah, in the county of Vinnebago and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fountain-Brushes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to bring the supply of Huid from the fountain or reservoir to the brush under more perfect control, and to provide improved means whereby the tube or duid-duet will be kept from clogging.

Letters Patent of the United States N o. 288,599 were granted to me on the 13th day of November, ISSS, showing and describing a fountain-brush in which a tube led from`the fluid-receptacle to the brush and was traversed by a clearing-plunger. A feed-aperture through one side of this tube was closed by a valve connected with a diaphragm in the Wall of the reservoir, the val ve-stem passing through and being exposed to the iiuid eontents and the valve acting' .to close the aperture at the saine side that the fluid entered it. 'lhus the valve mechanism was constantly exposed to the corroding effects of the paint or other fluid within the reservoir, and there was a tendency of sediment and coagulated matters to collect in the valve-seat and be packed therein by the valve clogging the dow. The top of the tube also opened into thereservoir, and if the plunger was withdrawn the contents Woul d flow therethrough Without obstruction from the valve. If air-pressure'was needed, it could only be obtained by unscrewing the cap at the head of the reservoir.

- In the present case I propose to carry the main or fluid tube entirely through the reservoir, opening to the external air at the top or outer end thereof, aswell as into the brush. A lateral tube therefrom connects with the external wall of the reservoir and receives the valve-stein, which is thereby entirely shielded and protected from the fluid. A feed-aperture is formed through the Wall of the main tube opposite to the lateral tube and advisably iiares from the exterior toward the interior oit' said main tube, so that whatever can enter its diminished opening into the reser voir may pass freely through and into the fluid-duct; but whatever stops in that diminished opening may be pushed back into the reservoir by the point of the valve when closed. The valve-stem also is of such di- Serial No. 136,798. (No model.)

l ameter as to close the main tube ivhen passed thereacross, and thus cut off the pressure of the air upon the liquid fed to the brush, permitting the clearing-plun ger to be withdrawn and laid aside, if desired. An external spring presses upon the valve-stein and holds the valve normally closed, While a linger-piece, operated either by pressure or by pulling', according to its location or the intermediate mechanism, enables the valve to be opened wheneier a fresh supply of fluid is to be delivered to the brush.

In thedrawings hereto annexed, Figure l is a view in elevation of astencil-brush,showing the means for holding it and operating the paint-supply. Fig.'2 is a sectional elevation showing the Working' parts in detail. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. Fig. al. shows the clearing-rod. Figs. 5, (i, 7 ,and 8 are views similar to those above described, except that the paint-supply valve is operated from the side from which it projects instead of from the opposite side, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

Similar letters indicate like parts.

A' is the handle forming the reservoir and filled through a suitable aperture, d, provided with a screw-cap, and B the brush or distributer fixed to said reservoir at the proper end or in suitable relation thereto.

C is a tube rising from Within the brush through the reservoir and extending there from, so as to freely admit air from the outside as well as fluid from the reservoir into the body of the brush, thus insuring a sufficiently rapid supply. This tube is perfectly straight and of the same diameter throughout, thereby enabling me to employ the clearing-rod, presently described, to eject any clogging matter. An opening, c, is made through the side of this tube just above the bottom of the reservoir, so that the contents of the latter may flow therefrom into the tube and be entirely drained down to the level of the aperture before refilling, the slight space beneath that level allo-wing for the deposit of sediment, and thus lessening the danger of clogging. This feed-aperture, instead of being of the same diameter through the entire wall of the tube, flares immediately from the point where it debouches into the reservoir to the point Where it terminates in the cylindrical chamber of the tube, so that any par- IOO IOS

ticle sufficiently small to enter its diminished end may readily pass therefrom into the tube.

From the feed-tube C, at a point opposite the opening c, extends laterally a branch or guide tube, C', which passes entirely through the reservoir, extending beyond its wall, and is loosely fitted with a valve or valve-stem, D, which is thereby protected from the surrounding body of fluid. This valve is suitably formed to close the feed-aperture from the reservoir-that is, it is shaped so that its sides will conform to the outline of the seat-- and when the seat is flaring, asj ust described, the valve or its contact portion will of course be conical, as shown. lts stein moves freely in the guide-tube, crossing and filling the transverse area of the main tube and normally closing the feed-aperture, against which it is held by a spring, (l, preferably located on the exterior of the reservoir.

To the spring d is attached a rod, d', which, as shown in Fig. 2, passes across the under side of the reservoir and terminates in a fingerpiece, d2, located insuch position that it can be conveniently manipulated by the operaior`s hand while the brush is being used.

ln 5, o', 7, and S is shown a modification ot' the above, theplunger D, to which the spring is' attached in any suitable manner, be ing continued upward at'its outer end, forining a finger-piece, dx, at a suitable distance from the handle.

The action ofthe plunger in closing the opening e and that of the spring upon the plunger the same in both cases, the difference being that in the first instance the fingerpiece is pressed inward to open the paintvalve, while in the second the finger-piece is pulled outward to produce the same result. In either case, when the valve is opened, paint is discharged from the reservoir into the main tube, which in turn discharges'into the interior of the brush. A plunger or clearingrod, E, of suliicient length to pass entirely through the tube, is provided. iVith it any ol'istruction which may form or become fast in the tube may be dislodged and pushed clear of the tube and bristles of the brush. AWhen used in this way, the brush should be inverted to prevent the fluid escaping while the valve s withdrawn from across the main tube to permit the. passage of the clearing-rod. The brush ordistributer may beY of bristles, sponge, or any suitable material, and brushes constructed in accordance with the principle of my invention may be severally used as paint. or stencil brushes, dampeningbrushes, or blaching or polishing brushes for shoes, and many other purposes.

It isnot essential, as to other features of my invelition, that the main' tube should extend entirely through the reservoir, as air may be admitted to the upper portion of thereservoi'r by loosening `the cap or cork, or in other ways; or the reservoir will. discharge when shaken. rapidly, as is done when the brush is in use. If it is not extended through the reservoir, the cleaning may be done from its lower end; but in my opinion the form shown is best adapted to perform the Work. The superiority of the feeding devices in the present invention will be obvious to any one who has experienced the diiiiculty of maintaining a regular and rapid flow of paint to the brush, the upper end of the main tube being always open for the admission of air, and, the valve controlling the flow of paint, the condition of the brush can at all times be regulated to a nicety.

I claim as my inventiond l. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in aA fountain-brush, of a reservoir, a brush or distributer, a fluid-tubev passing from the reservoir into the body of the brush or distributer, and having an inwardly-darin g opening through its wall-within.A the reservoir to admit the contents of the latter, a lateral tube entering the fluid-tube opposite said openin g, and extending thence through the wall of the reservoir, a valve and valve-plun ger playing in said lateral tube and across the duid-tube, and a spring pressing upon the val ve-plunger to force the valve against said feed-opening.

The combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in a fountain-lnush, of a reservoir, abrush or distributer, a fluid-tube leading fromthe external air through the res-` ervoir into the brush'or distributer, and having a lateral feed-opening intothe reservoir, a guide-tube connecting said Huid-tubev opposite the feed-aperture With the wall of thereservoir, and a spring #pressed valve-plunger within said guide-tube adapted tonormally close thefeed-aperture' and Huid-tube.

3; The coinbinatioin substantially' as here-A minbefore set forth,v in al fountain-bruslnofa1 reservoiral brush orn distributer, astra-ight' Huid-tube passing entirely through the reservoir and into the body of thebruslnopen at` oneend to admit air andi-receive aclearing; rod and at the other to discharge fluid, and! having alateral feed-aperture opening into theY reservoir, a-guidetube entering the fiuid-tube opposite said aperture and extending through the exterior wall of the reservoir, avalve plunger playing through said guide-tube and across the fluid-tube to close it andthe feed" aperture, aspring connected to saidplunger to hold the valve closed, and means whereby the Valve may be opened by the. linger.

4. The combination, substantially as heref inbefore set forth, in a fountain-brush,-of a reservoir, a brush or distributer, the tube C, with aperture c, the cross-tube @"valve-plun-4 ger D, spring d, and rod d', )assing fro1n said spring acrossthe under side: of the: reservoir to the opposite side th ereof,whereby the'press`4 nire. of afinger may open the valve. l j

JOHN STEVENS.

p Witnessem ALEX. liIcNA-U'GHTON, Roer. SHIEL'LS.

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